Prince is a big, shaggy Labradoodle from New York City who became an internet favourite after a home camera caught him settling his little human, Halle, back to sleep in the middle of the night. His owners, Sara and Zach Lebwohl, left the doors open between their bedroom and Halle’s nursery to see what he would do when she stirred. The answer was a quiet routine: Prince walked in, lay down beside her crib and stayed until she drifted off again.
The clip, shared on YouTube, was reportedly viewed more than a million times. Here is the story behind it, the photos of Prince growing up alongside Halle, and what experts say about dogs and babies sharing a home.
A dog who noticed the change early
Sara has described Prince as glued to her side during her pregnancy. Many dog owners report something similar: a dog that follows the pregnant person from room to room, lies against her more often or becomes a little more watchful.
Science cannot say what a dog “knows” about a pregnancy, but dogs are extremely sensitive to changes in smell, routine and mood. A household preparing for a baby changes in all of those ways at once, with new furniture, new scents and different daily rhythms. Prince’s closeness was most likely his response to those signals, and to the person he was most attached to.
Sara relaxes on the sofa late in her pregnancy with Prince stretched out behind her. He stayed close to her through those months, which is how the family first noticed how tuned in he was. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
Meeting Halle
When the baby came home, Prince’s first move was a careful sniff. From then on he treated her as part of his pack. The family photos show him tucked in next to Halle on the sofa, sitting beside her in the park and posing patiently while she grows from newborn to toddler.
Sara and Zach, in matching “Mama” and “Papa” shirts, hold newborn Halle while Prince sits at their feet. It is one of the first family portraits with all four of them. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
Sara cuddles Halle on a blue sofa with Prince leaning in beside them. Labradoodles are a cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle, and are generally known as friendly, family-oriented dogs. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
Baby Halle in a pink tutu sits next to Prince, who is almost twice her size. The two quickly became a familiar double act on the family’s Instagram account. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
Now a toddler, Halle sits on a stone ledge in a park with her Elmo toy, and Prince beside her. Walks became shared outings as she got older. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
Halle laughs on a rug between a large unicorn plush and Prince. By this stage the two were close companions, which set the scene for their night-time routine. Credit: Instagram/prince_in_the_city
The night-time routine on camera
When Halle was close to two years old she moved into her own room. Like many toddlers, she still woke up in the small hours and needed some reassurance. Prince, who slept in his owners’ room, was usually the first to notice and would follow whichever parent got up to comfort her.
That gave Sara an idea, which she later described with a simple question: “What if Prince could help Halle go back to sleep all by himself?” The couple left both bedroom doors open and watched on their baby monitor. The footage shows Prince padding into the dark nursery, going through his settling ritual on the floor and lying down by the crib until Halle is asleep again. In Sara’s words, “Surprisingly, it has worked out well.”
The monitor still at the top of this article is from that video, and you can watch the full clip below.
Why a dog’s presence can be soothing
There is a reasonable explanation for why this works. Toddlers who wake at night often need little more than to know that someone familiar is near. A calm, well-loved dog can provide some of that reassurance: a steady presence, the sound of breathing, a familiar smell. Many parents also find that consistent routines matter more than what the routine actually is, and Prince’s nightly visit was nothing if not consistent.
It is worth being clear about what the video does and does not show. Prince was not caring for Halle in a human sense, and his owners were watching on camera and close enough to step in. The heart of the story is a bond between a gentle dog and a child he grew up with, not a dog doing a parent’s job.
Dogs and babies: what the experts recommend
Stories like this one are lovely, but animal welfare organisations are consistent on safety. Some of the main points from the ASPCA and the UK charity Blue Cross:
- Prepare before the birth. The ASPCA suggests brushing up basic obedience and introducing baby sounds, smells and new routines weeks or months ahead, pairing them with treats.
- Introduce calmly. Let the dog greet the returning parent first, then meet the baby in a quiet room while an adult holds the infant. Never force the interaction.
- Change routines gradually. Rather than showering the dog with extra attention before the due date, the ASPCA suggests giving attention at random times and starting new rules a month or two early, so the baby’s arrival does not feel like a sudden loss.
- Supervise every interaction. Blue Cross advises never leaving a dog and a young child together unattended. Baby gates, a closed door or a crate give both of them safe space when no adult is watching.
- Learn your dog’s body language, as Blue Cross recommends. Yawning, lip-licking, turning away or stiffening can be signs that a dog needs a break.
- Get help early. If a dog shows any aggression around the baby, contact a qualified animal behaviourist straight away.
Even the gentlest dog can be startled by a sudden grab or a fall, so these rules protect the dog as much as the child.
A small story that travelled far
Part of the clip’s appeal is how ordinary it is: grainy night-camera footage, an untidy nursery, a sleepy toddler and a fluffy dog doing what comes naturally. It reflects something many families recognise, that a dog can become one of a child’s first and most patient friends. If you enjoy honest glimpses of family life, you may also like our collection of funny, messy everyday parenting moments.
Sources: iHeartDogs: Nanny dog comforts fussy toddler back to sleep; Wikipedia: Labradoodle; ASPCA: Dogs and babies; Blue Cross: Keeping your toddler safe around dogs. Photos: Instagram/prince_in_the_city; video via YouTube.
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